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A HAND BOOK 



CONTAINING 



Suggestions and Programs 



FOR 



COMMUNITY SOCIAL GATHERINGS 



At Rural School Houses 



Revised Edition 



Prepared by 

L. J. HANIFAN. State Supervisor 

of Rural Schools 




Under the Direction of 

M. P. SHAWKEY. State Superintendent 

Charleston, W. Va. 

1914 






TRIBUNE PRINTINO CO., CHARLESTON, W. VA. 




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A HAND BOOK 



CONTAINING 



Suggestions and Programs 



FOR 



COMMUNITY SOCIAL GATHERINGS 

At Rural School Houses 



Revised Edition 



Prepared by 

L. J. HANIFAN, State Supervisor 

of Rural Schools 



Under the Direction of 

M. P. SHAWKEY. State Superintendent 

Charleston, W. Va. 

1914 



1 ^ 0h 



rRIIUNE PHINTINa CO., CHAKLEtTON, ». VA. 



NOV 7 19:-. 






PREFACE. 

Our experience witli the "Social Center"' work in West Virginia the 
year 1913-1-i confirms our helief that the great majority of teachers 
everywhere are willing, yes anxious, to do more for the country boys 
and girls than merely ''keep order" and '"hear recitations," provided 
only that they know what to do and how to go about it. The summer 
of 1913 Superintendent Shawkey called for a thousand volunteers 
among the 7,000' rural teachers in the state to organize their respective 
communities into '"social centers"' for the purpose of social, recrea- 
tional and intellectual benefits. As a general guide, a "Hand Book" 
was prepared and furnished to those who were willing to undertake 
the work. More than a thousand teachers enlisted in this work of 
vitalizing the rural school and rural life. The results were greater 
and better than had been anticipated. This Hand Book is prepared 
as a revision of the one issued in 1913. It aims to follow the same 
general plan of suggestions and programs. But the experience of 
teachers in working out this plan has indicated several needed changes 
and additions. We make no pretense of having perfected a plan for 
rural "social center" work. Everything in this Hand Book is in- 
tended to be only suggestive. The teachers, the superintendent and 
the people themselves must be depended upon to put the "social cen- 
ter" idea into practice. This idea will work itself out, once the people 
of the community get together. Every teacher ought to undertake 
the work this year. 

L. J. Hanifan. 

Charleston, W. Ya. 



CONTEXTS. 

Introductory _ 5 

The Social Center Idea _ 6 

What is a Community Social Gathering ? 7 

Selected Beports and Statements from Teachers 8 

General Suggestions _ 12 

Suggested Programs 14 

Section I. Special Day Programs .' _ 16 

Section II. Farm Programs 37 

Section III. Miscellaneous Programs _ 39 

Questions for Debate 51 

Eeferences to Literature on the Social Center and Rural Life. . . 52 

Eural Life Beading _ 54 



INTRODUCTORY. 

Last year we asked for a thousand teachers who would hold some 
community meetings in their school houses during the term. In re- 
sponse to this call more than a thousand volunteers enlisted for the 
ser\ice. Some of these succeeded in a marked degree. Some met with 
indifferent success and some made a failure of the undertaking. It is 
not too much to say. however, that on the whole the work proved a 
great success. In many instances the meetings not only resulted in 
material improvements, such as books, libraries, furniture, or appar- 
atus for the school or improvements on the building and grounds, but 
they brought about a quickened life both in the school and the com- 
munity and a more cordial relationship between the two. In some 
cases, indeed, they brought to both school and community a revelation 
of a richer life neither had even dreamed of before. 

To suggest the possibilities of these meetings a '"Hand Book" was 
issued last year. The demand for it exceeded expectations. Requests 
for copies came from nearly every state in the Union and from 
foreign countries. A second edition was printed. Finally the United 
States Commissioner of Education sent a copy to every county super- 
intendent in America. Assuming that this unusual interest will con- 
tinue and that the work in this state will be even more successful the 
coming year than it was last year, this revised Hand Book is issued. 

It is earnestly hoped that teachers will not regard the Hand Book 
as a manual and follow it literally. One of the best things about the 
w^hole scheme is that it develops originality and leadership. There 
are many things that might be done and many ways of doing them 
that are not mentioned here. Let teachers discover the other and 
better things and work out the best ways of doing them. 

There are many agencies that would gladly cooperate with any 
teacher who takes up the work, but it will be vastly better for the 
teacher and the people to go ahead in their own way and see how 
much can be accomplished. 

I am confidently expecting some very valuable and interesting pro- 
grams to be worked out in our schools during the ensuing year. 

Very truly yours, 



THE "SOCIAL CENTER" IDEA. 

It is generally agreed that there are fewer opportunities for the peo- 
ple of the country to get together and have a general good time than 
there used to be. There used to be the husking bees, the barn raisings, 
the threshing days, even the log rollings. There used to be the apple 
cuttings, the bean stringings, the sugar makings. There used to be the 
spelling bees, the old time "literaries," the ''heated'' debates. There 
are not so many of any of these "diversions" today. In many com- 
munities nearly all of these have been entirely abandoned. Nothing 
has taken their places. Many of the rural churches have been aban- 
doned, the ministers having either starved out, or left the country. 
Perhaps the best means we have left for getting the rural folk together 
is the Sunday School. This, however, is usually active only during 
the summer months. 

What are the results of all this change ? In the first place the people 
in the country are without amusement, recreation, or social life. They 
do not even visit one another as they did formerly. Families live in 
varying degrees of isolation. This situation makes living in the 
country dull, uneventful, uninteresting. As a final result many of our 
country boys and girls and not a few older ones leave the farms and 
go to the cities where they congregate on the streets, at the "movies," 
at the club, at the dance hdlls, at the theatre, sometimes at the pool- 
rooms, gambling dens and evil resorts. And we are not to censure 
too severely these young people for leaving the farms and going to 
the cities. Man is a social animal. He takes to society naturally. 
Isolation from his fellows is unendurable to youth or grown-up. If 
he cannot find congenial associates in the country he will go to the 
city. If he cannot find good company there he may find bad. He must 
have companions. Therefore, just as long as the country fails to 
provide some means of social enjoyment the boys and girls will con- 
tinue to go to the cities in large numbers. 

This migration to the city would not be so bad if the city were the 
best place in the world for these young people to live. As a matter of 
fact, no city is either all good or all bad. But in every city there is 
opportunity for young people to be bad. Many of our country boys 
and girls go to the city and make good. We sometimes boast of the 



large number of men from the country who now hold responsible posts 
both in business and in the professions. But Ave fail to mention the 
large number who have utterly failed to make of themselves anything 
except crooks, criminals or loafers. Whether a country boy will make 
good in the city depends largely upon the boy in the first place, and in 
the second place upon the kind of company he gets into when he 
reaches the city. Other things being equal the country boy has greater 
evil temptations in the city than the city born youth has, for the reas- 
on that the latter grows up amidst the city environment, becomes ac- 
customed to it as he grows, while the country boy plunges im- 
mediately into an entirely new environment, to which he is wholly 
unprepared to adjust himself. When a country boy or country girl 
" leaves the farm for the city the father and mother can never be quite 
sure that their child will not fall by the wayside as one of the tares. 
What, therefore, shall be done to make living in the country toler- 
able to our country youth? The solution devolves upon the school. 
Upon the teacher rests the immediate responsibility of leadership in all 
that may be done. She must secure the cooperation of the ministers, 
cf the parents and citizens, in devising ways and means of bringing 
the young people together often for social enjoyment, mental recrea- 
tion, even for merely good fellowship. The boys and girls will do 
their part if only proper leadership and encouragement are afforded 
them. 

WHAT IS A "COMMUNITY SOCIAL GATHERING?" 

People Avill not come together unless something of common interest 
prompts them to do so. For some years now the rural folk have had 
no such comnion community interest. The church is of common in- 
terest only to its membership. The farmers have lived apart and run 
their own farms in their own way. The schools have been left to the 
school officers to run as they think best. Xo one thing has been of 
sufficient interest to bring the people together. Hence, stagnation, 
monotony, prejudice, isolation, drudgery — these have constituted coun- 
try life. In order to change this sad condition something of common 
interest to the Avhole people must be provided. A wedding, if it bring 
the people together, might be a community social gathering. A 
farmers' institute, if it be made to concern the whole community, is 
an excellent community social gathering. A "husking bee," a "good 
roads day," the "summer chautauqua," the "agricultural fair" — all 



8 

these and many similar community meetings are of the nature of a 
community social gathering. The important thing is that there be 
something of common interest to all the people of the community. 
Let the people be brought together by something of common interest 
to all and soon they will have a common interest in many community 
undertakings — the improvement of the schools, the building of roads, 
the planting of trees, the growing of corn_, the breeding of stock, the 
beautifying of their homes. 

To supply this motive for the assembling of the people to consider, 
or to enjoy, or to improve something of common interest to all the 
people of the community is the purpose of the " social center" move- 
ment in the country. The programs outlined in this Hand Book may 
be suggestive of how this may be done. 

However, something not mentioned in the programs may have a 
more powerful community interest than any given here. For example, 
one teacher found upon coming into the community that the school 
house was almost inaccessible on account of the briars, weeds, stones 
and logs upon the school grounds. She did not abuse the board of 
education nor the school trustees for allowing such conditions to exist. 
Eather she set a day when the school grounds must be cleaned up. 
The pupils and the citizens were interested in this project. Some roll- 
ed and burnt the logs ; others cut the briars and weeds ; still others 
cleared the ground of stones; the ladies directed the cleaning-up of 
the interior of the building. 'WTiat better "social center' meeting 
could possibly have been held than this one? Everyone had helped 
and, therefore, had a personal interest in the school. The teacher's 
pluck qnd personal interest gained the confidence of the people. Her 
success was assured at the close of that day. 

SELECTED REPORTS AND STATEMENTS FROM TEACHERS 

AVhen ''social center" meetings were proposed for the country dis- 
tricts, the year 1913-14, some of our rural teachers were eager to see 
what they could do. Others hesitated, fearing it could not be done or 
doubting their own ability to carry out such work. About 15 per cent 
of the rural teachers undertook the work and carried it out with vary- 
ing degrees of success. Near the close of the year I secured from the 
county superintendents the names and addresses of a few teachers in 
each county and wrote these teachers asking for a report on what they 
had accomplished. These reports are very gratifying indeed. Doubt- 



9 

less the teachers themselves were surprised at the ready response of 
both parents and pupils to this opportunity to enjoy a little social and 
intellectual recreation. 

As a tribute to those who undertooi-c the "social center" work last 
year and as a suggestion to others who were willing, doubtless, but who 
were afraid to undertake it lest they should fail, we insert here some 
excerpts from these personal reports. 

One of the best of these reports is from Miss Mabel Sutherland, St. 
Albans. Miss Sutherland taught the Barnett school, a one-room coun- 
try school about two and one half miles from the town of St. Albans. 
1 visited this school. It was just about like the other 6,999 rural 
schools in West Virginia, for the chief differences among schools are 
always to be found in the teachers. I am going to reproduce here Miss 
Sutherland's modest account of one of the programs at Barnett School. 

"The program was called 'Indian Night.' 

1. Song. — 'My Old Kentucky Home.' 

2. Devotional Exercises. 

3. A Story of an Indian Girl. (By a pupil.) 

4. Who are the Indians? (By a citizen.) 

5. 'Indians." (By the district supervisor.) 
R. Hiawatha Dramatized. (By 15 pupils.) 
7. Song. — 'America.' 

"In the play, Hiawatha, I told the boys that this was their program. 
I do not think I ever saw children enjoy anything so much as in pre- 
paring for this play. The boys brought in two white oak 'trees' that 
woidd just stand upright in the house. These they placed on either 
side of the stage. They built a wigwam of poles covered with coffee 
sacks. On the floor they spread branches of pine. 

"The girls dressed a large doll as an Indian baby, strapped it to a 
board and tied it to one of the trees. They used this in the first scene 
to represent Hiawatha's baby-hood. 

"The 'chiefs'^ wore plaid blankets and caps made from paper sacks, 
trimmed with turkey feathers. The other boys wore suits made of 
coffee sacks trimmed with bright fringe. All wore caps trimmed with 
feathers. 

"Some of the girls trimmed brown dresses with bright fringe. One 
wore a black skirt and red sweater trimmed with red fringe. One 
wore a loose white dress trimmed with bright cloth. All wore their 



10 

hair braided and trimmed with feathers. And each wore several 
strands of beads, some of tiiese made pf red crepe paper. They painted 
their faces with damp crepe paper and powdered this with browned 
flonr. This made them have a complexion like an Indian. 

'"The boys had three Indian songs and two Indian dances, in which 
they sang and danced well. 

''There were about eighty-five persons present, almost all of the 
parents. Some of the jJarents said, 'We are surprised that the children 
could do so well.'" 

V/e wish it were possible to reproduce a great many reports of the 
good work of the "^^social center" last year, for we are conscious of the 
fact that other reports are fully as Avorthy of especial attention. We 
select this report mainly for the reason that it shows what may be 
done if the teacher exercises proper initiative in drawing upon ma- 
terials right in the neighborhood. Miss Sutherland did not put any one 
to the expense of buying Indian costumes. There were plenty of 
coifee sacks aiid turkey feathers right there in the neighborhood. 
These were used and to better advantage than anything that could 
have been purchased in towns. 

We give very brief quotations from two other reports to indicate the 
variety of the work done. One teacher reports as follows : 

"We had in the early fall a meeting that we called ' a dinner at 
home.* This occupied one afternoon. The pupils sent special invi- 
tations to parents and friends. Each girl and boy brought a basket 
of food that they had cooked. Some of the boys just popped corn. 
The first object was to create a desire to excel. The second object, to 
teach table etiquette. Third, to teach cooking. This meeting was 
considered a success and almost every person in the community was 
present. Since that time there has hardly been a day but some pupil 
has brought something new that she had cooked for me to test." 

And another: 

''Among other meetings the school gave an entertainment, a pie 
social, for the benefit of a sick person in the community. Aside from 
church gatherings these meetings have been the only social gatherings 
of any kind in the community. They have been eagerly looked for- 
ward to by the children. I was afraid at first to try to have anything 
going on at night. Now everything goes on nicely." 

Now just a few statements as to results : 

"I can accomplish much more this year than I did three years 
ago when I taught the same school. The people are much more friendly 



11 

and sociable towards one another. We had a peanut social at which 
we raised $13.85 with which we purchased four neat, framed pictures 
for the walls, a dictionary, a dictionary stand, and eight books for the 
library." 

"I think the social center meetings caused the parents and residents 
of the community to realize that the school, is not merely a place for 
the children to go five days out of the week, simply to do formal recit- 
ing of a certain number of lessons. Ihese meetings have brought 
much local talent before the public which incites great interest." 

"The children by attending these meetings did better work in school 
and the parents took greater interest in the improvement of the 
schools." 

"These meetings have aroused a sentiment for better school build- 
ings which are much needed." 

"J visited all the parents as soon as possible, organized two literary 
societies, and gave out that we wished to have a box supper. Instead 
of the usual box supper it was more like a church festival. We realiz- 
ed $40.95, with which we purchased seventy-nine books, two dozen 
drinking cups, a globe and five pictures. The boys made a cabinet for 
the drinking cups and framed the pictures. 1 attribute my success 
to the visiting and to' these meetings." 

"Our average attendance was 44. Heretofore, they tell me it was 
only 15 or 20. Four young men and women who had been out of 
school three or four years attended regularly and did excellent work. 
The people are petitioning the board to build them a two-room build- 
ing for next year and employ two teachers. Twenty-four children got 
Perfect and Faithful Attendance Certificates." 

"My success this winter is due largely to these meetings. I never 
taught a sciiool before where 1 was able to hold interest till the last 
day. Interest did ^ not prevail among teacher and pupils alone 
but reached the entire sub-district. One patron remarked on 
the last day of school that it was the only school he had ever become 
interested in." 



13 
GENERAL SUGGESTIONS. 

1. Personal Worh. 

Th(3 success of these community meetings will depend very largely 
upon the personal work of the teacher, and nothing will count for so 
much as the teacher's personal acquaintance with the patrons of the 
school. If the people know the teacher personally, and have confidence 
in her, they will gladly respond to her leadership. 

2. Advertise. 

The pupils themselves are the best advertisers if properly directed 
and, encouraged. The county papers can usually be utilized to ad- 
vertise the program. A few notices should be posted in conspicuous 
places. 

3. Begin planning at the opening of the session. 

The first week of the school term is the best time to begin the work. 
The first meeting should be held not later than at the end of the first 
two weeks. 

4. Make the first meeting a good one. 

If the first meeting is a failure it will be difficult to get the people 
out next time. The people will get a lasting impression, whether 
favorable or unfavorable, of the first meeting, 

5. Mal'e each meeting worth while. 

If there is to be an entertainment, the program must entertain. 
If it is an instructive program, there must be something that the 
people can take away .with them. Make the program such that the 
people will feel that they have been repaid for their coming. 

6. See that the meeting begins on time. 

Do not bore those who come on time by delaying the beginning of 
the program until late comers arrive. After the first meeting the 



people will be on time if it is undei-stood that the program will begin 
at the hour set. 

7. Organization. 

Do not kill the ^' social center" with a stiff, formal organization. 
Constitution and b5'-laws are unnecessary. The citizens must have 
prominent parts both in the organization and on the programs. It is 
suggested that a citizen be made chairman. Earely should the teacher 
fill this office. But the teacher should be behind all that is done. She 
should be the guiding spirit. She can so direct the organization that 
a capable presiding officer will be chosen, or that the most suitable 
persons will appear on the programs. She must be the leader through 
others. A skillful teacher can do this. 

8. Have one or more citizens placed on most of tke programs. 

Such recognition of the patrons will not only add strength to the 
program but will also avoid the appearance of its being merely a school 
affair. 

1*. JJarc regard for otlier com muniti/ activities. 

From fifteen to twenty of these community meetings should be 
held within the term. It is suggested that as many of them as possible 
should be held during the fall months so that when there is a religious 
revival or other meeting in the community these meetings at the school 
houses may go over until another time. These meetings may be held 
weeklv for two or three of the first months of the year. The teacher 
must be governed by the local conditions. 

10. TJic "Spelling Bee." 

There is general criticism of our present method of teaching spell- 
ing and at the same time there is a general demand for the old- 
fashioned spelling bee. At least four or five of the proposed meetings 
should be these old time spelling bees. 

11. Do not scold the people for iwt coming. 

People can be led to do anything. They can be driven to do 
nothing. If they do not come to any given program see them mean- 



14 

Avhile, say you missed them and invite them to come to the next 
program. 

13. Music. 

Organize the school into a chorus and select a choir, or a glee club, 
or organize a band or orchestra — there are some musicians in almost 
every neighborhood. Seek out these and use them for all they are 
vi^orth. Perhaps some one plays a violin or other musical instrument. 
Or it may be that either the teacher or some one else can organize an 
old-fasliioned singing school. This in itself would be a "social 
center." 

13. Bulletins and other helps. 

Teachers are urged to make these programs as educative and help- 
ful as possible by securing free bulletins from the U. S. Department 
of Agriculture and the U. S. Bureau of Education, Washington, D. 
C, and also from the State College of Agriculture, Morgantown, W. 
Va., and the Department of Schools, Charleston, W. Va. A wealth 
of information can be had for the asking. Certain references are 
made to these documents under the suggestive programs. If you have 
further questions as to this source material, write to the Department 
of Schools or the College of Agriculture making your wants known! 

14. When you succeed in making one of these programs especially 
worth while, do not be too modest to write the State Superintendent 
or the State Supervisor of Eural Schools telling what you did and 
how you did it. This information can be handed around to be an in- 
spiration and help to others. 

15. Use pictures, post cards, photographs and such other illus- 
trative materials as can be found to make these programs interesting 
and instructive. Illustrative pictures may be found in newspapers 
and magazines, or borrowed from the homes. 

SUGGESTED PROGRAMS. 

The programs submitted here are merely suggestive. Teachers are 
expected to use such of these outlines as will best meet local needs, or 
to prepare programs independently of these. 

The programs fall naturally into three classes: Special-Day Pro- 
grams, Farm Programs and Miscellaneous Programs. The dates are 



15 

given for the Special-Day Programs. The others will be given at such 
times as the teacher or the committee think best. Below most of the 
programs a few references are given. 

All the bulletins and circulars of the West Virginia College of 
Agriculture are free for the asking. Some of the bulletins of the U. S. 
Department of Agriculture are listed at from 5 to 20 cents. Write 
for the following: 

List of Bulletins of the West Virginia College of Agriculture, Mor- 
gantown, W. Va. ; list of Bulletins of the U. S. Bureau of Education, 
Washington, D. C, and for Bulletin No. 558, Teaching Material in 
Grovernment Publications, U. S. Bureau of Education, Washington, 
D. C. The latter will be especially helpful to teachers in finding 
material for these programs. Some of the State Departments of 
Education of other states have issued some very valuable bulletins 
and documents that can be obtained free. 



IG 



Section I. 

SPECIAL DAY PKOGEAMS. 

Page 

Program Xiimber One • 17 

.. Columbus Day. 

Program Xumber Two " _ 18 

Eural School Day. 

Program Xumber Three 20 

Hallowe'en Social. 

Program Xumber Four _ 21 

Library Day, 

Program Xumber Five 22 

Christmas. 

Program Xumber Six _ 23 

Lincoln's Birthday. 

Program Xumber Seven 24 

Washington's Birthday. 

Program Xumber Eight _ 25 

Arbor and Bird Day. 

Program Xumber Xine 26 

Peace Day. 



17 

PROGRAM NUMBER ONE. 

COLUMBUS DAY. 

October 12. 



Suggestions: 



1. Columbus Day, October 12th, is a legal holiday, with the pro- 
viso that "schools shall remain in session and hold appropriate cere- 
monies in honor of Christopher Columbus." It is suggested that the 
forenoon be given to regular school work but that the citizens be in- 
vited to be present for tlie afternoon session for an appropriate pro- 
gram to be rendered by the pupils. 

2. Preparations for this program should be begun at least a month 
before the date of the program, so that the children may have oppor- 
tunity to read and acquaint themselves with the history of Columbus* 
great discovery. 

The Program: 

1. Song, led by school choir. 

2. Devotional exercises. 

3. Early life of Columbus. 

4. Cohmibus' theory of the earth as a sphere. 

5. What Columbus was really trying to do. 

6. World geography in Columbus' time. (A map or globe should 

be used for demonstration.) 

7. Difficulties that Columbus had in raising money to make his 

voyage. 

8. Song— Eed, White and Blue. 

9. The voyages of Columbus. 

10. America before the discovery by Columbus. 

11. Subsequent discoveries. 

12. Results to the world of Columbus' discovery. 

13. Song. 

References: 

Irving's Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus. See also en- 
cyclopedia, and texts on U. S. History. 

Shaw : Discoverers and Explorers. American Book Company, Cin- 
cinnati. 

McMurray: Pioneers on Land and Sea. MacMillan Company, 
JSTew York. . I ' 



18 



PEOGEAM NUMBEE TWO. 

EUEAL SCHOOL DAY. 

October 23. 
^Suggestions: 

1 . Let this be the banner program of the year. Use every possible 
means to get the citizens out to this meeting. 

2. Make this program a genuine Eural School Eally. Get out 
the band if there is one in the country. 

3. If possible arrange for a Joint program of two or more nearby 
schools. Let it be an all-day picnic, every family bringing a basket. 
Have a "spread" for the whole crowd. 

4. Have a good speaker for the occasion if possible. 

5. See that the needs of the rural school are discussed and try to 
secure popular approval of some progressive school policies. 

6. This program will take the place of Clean-up and Beautify Day 
this year. But the Clean-up and Beautify feature should be made 
prominent on the program. 

7. If possible get some pictures of the crowd and send one of 
these with a brief account of the day's rally to the State Supervisor 
of Eural Schools, Charleston, W. Ya. 



I'J 



The Program: 

1. Song. — America. 

2. Devotional exercises. By a local minister. 

3. Give the country child an equal chance with the city child. 

4. Needs of the country school. 

5. Why do the country children drop out of school at their first 

opportunity ? 

6. How much of the teacher's time does the child of six get each 

day? 

7. Song. — "West "S'irginia Hills. 

8. "Parents don't visit the school." Why? 

y. Why do the children want to leave the farm to go to the city? 

10. Why teach agriculture in the country schools. 

11. What should we do to improve our school? 

12. Song. 

Befercnces: 

State Superintendent's Biennial Eeports. 

Bulletins of the State Department of Schools, Charleston, W. Va., 
as follows: Bulletins N'o. 2 and 6 on District Supervision; "Facts 
and Fallacies" about Consolidation of Schools ; Eeport of State Super- 
visor of Bigh Schools ; Special Report on Agriculture by State Board 
of Eegents. 

Report of U. S. Commissioner of Education, Washington, D. C, 
Chapter VIII, Vol. I, 1913. 

Cubberley: Rural Life and Education — Houghton, Mifflin Co., 
New York. 

See Bibliography on last pages of this Haiid Book. 

Illustrative pictures, photographs and post cards. 



20 



PBOGRAM NUMBER THEEE. 

HALLOWE'EN SOCIAL. 

October 31. 
Suggestions : 

1. In many rural districts the traditions of hallowe'en are not 
very well known and have not entered into the lives of the people. To 
this extent this program may be made informational. 

2. The children should understand thoroughly what parts they 
are to take. 

3. Make the program conform to the spirit of the occasion. A 
stiff, formal observance of rules and regulations ordinarily observed 
will make the program a failure. 

4. The children will enjoy the jack-o-lantern feature. 

5. The social feature should be made prominent. 
The Program: 

To be arranged by the committee. 
References : 

See any encyclopedia for information and consult such books as are 
available. 

Appropriate readings : Eiley's "When the Frost is on the Pump- 
kin"; Irving-'s "'Legend of Sleepy Hollow"; Jackson's "October's 
Bright Blue Weather." 

See Elson Readers for other appropriate stories and poems. 



21 



PROGRAM NUMBER FOUR. 

♦ LIBRAEY DAY. 

December 4. 
Suggestions: 

1. The State Superintendent lias designated December 4th as 
Library Day and has issued a library day annual containing a pro- 
gram and suggestions. These programs are for distribution to 
teachers on request. It is suggested here that this program would 
perhaps result in raising more funds for the school library if it be 
made one of the regular community programs and be given in the 
evening. 

2. The purpose of this program should be the raising of funds 
for the school library. 

3. Use some such device as the box supper, the pie social or a 
fudge sale. 

4. It may be well to appoint a committee of several pupils to see 
the citizens beforehand and solicit personal subscriptions for the 
school library. The report of the amount of funds raised in this way 
should be made public at this meeting. It would be well to appoint 
a committee of citizens to audit the receipts and care for the funds 
until a purchase of books is made. The teacher should perhaps be 
chairman of this committee. 

The Program: 

See Library Day Annual issued by the State Superintendent. 



•;a2 

PEOGEAM NUMBEE FIVE. 

CHRISTMAS. 

December 25. 

Suggestions: 

1. Doubtless the program should consist largely of appropriate 
select readings and declamations. 

2. Make the program such as will impress the children with the 
real spirit of the Christmas giving and festivities. 

3. If the teacher cares to follow the old custom of "treating" the 
children, this program will be the proper occasion for the '^treat." 

4. This program should be made the occasion of proper merry- 
making among children and parents. 

5. The Christmas tree with a Santa Claus is still a good thing for 
children. 

The Program: 

1. Song. — All Hail the Power. 

2. What the birth of Christ has meant to the world. By a local 

minister. 

3. Select reading. By a pupil. 

4. The origin of Christmas. 

5. Declamation. By a pupil. 

6. Song. — Come, Thou Almighty King. 

7. Cliristmas in other countries. By the teacher. 

8. Select reading. By a pupil. 

9. The meaning of Christmas giving. 
10. Einging of Santa Claus' sleigh bells. 

References : 

. Consult any encyclopedia and such other books as are available. 

Mabie : The Book of Christmas. Macmillan Co., I^ew York. 

Dickens: Christmas Stories. American Book Co., Cincinnati. 

Moore : The Xight Before Christmas. 

Bead Bible Story of Christmas. St. Luke, Chapter II, verses 6-20. 

Illustrate with any pictures available in the school or the com- 
munity. 



23 



PROGKAM NUMBER SIX. 

LINCOLN'S BIETHDAY. . 

February 12. 
Suggestions: 

1. Lincoln's Birthday is a legal holiday, with the proviso that 
"schools shall remain in session and hold appropriate ceremonies in 
honor of Abraham Lincoln." It is suggested that upon that day the 
regular classes recite in the forenoon, but that in the afternoon the 
citizens be invited to be present for a program rendered by the 
children. 

2. All reference to politics or partisanship should be strictly 
avoided. 

Tlte Program: 

1. Song, led by school choir, — America. 

2. Devotional exercises. 
8. Lincoln's school days, 
•i. Lincoln and the pig. 

o. Lincoln the rail-splitter. 

6. Lincoln as president. 

7. Song. — Star Spangled Banner. 

8. Lincoln's Gettysburg speech, read by a pupil. 

9. Lincoln the statesman. 

10. Lowell's Ode to Lincoln, recited by a pupil. 

11. "Whitman's Captain, My Captain, recited by a pupil. 

12. Song. — Columbia the Gem of the Ocean. 

Beferences: 

Consult texts on history and literature and such other books 
as are available. 

Baldwin : Life of Abraham Lincoln. American Book' Company, 
Cincinnati. 

Chase : Boyhood of Famous Americans. Educational Publishing 
Co., Columbus, Ohio. 

Pictures, photographs and post cards. 



24: 

j PROGEAM NUMBEE SEVEN". ; 

WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY. ^ 

February 22. 
'Suggestions: 

1. This program should he the occasion of a patriotic meeting. 

2. Pupils taking part in this program should draw upon their 
work in history for material. 

3. If possible the room should be decorated with American flags. 

4. The personal character and integrity of General Washington 
should be emphasized. 

5. There are a great many appropriate selections from literature 
which can be read or recited. 

The Program: 

1. Song. — America. 

2. The incident of the "Cherry Tree" as an example to young 

Americans. By a citizen. 

3. Washington and his times. 

4. Washington in West "Virginia. 

5. Washington the brave warrior. 

6. Song. — The Star Spangled Banner. 

7. Washington as a farmer. 

8.-10. To be arranged by the local committee. 
11. Song. 

References : 

See references on Lincoln's Birthday Program. 

Address Department of Education, Ealeigh, N. C, and Denver, 
Col., for special programs for this occasion. 

Consult any •'"'Life of Washington." See texts on U. S. history 
and literature. 

Guerber : Story of the Thirteen Colonies, American Book Com- 
pany, Cincinnati. 

Washington's Eule of Conduct, etc. Houghton Mifflin Co., New 
York. 

Illustrative pictures, etc. 



25 



PROGRAM NUMBER EIGHT. 

SPEING AEBOR AND BIED DAY. 

March 26. 
^Suggestions: 

1. The date for this program is set by the State Superintendent 
for March 26. It may well be used for one of the community meet- 
ings. 

2. There may be a single meeting for both the Arbor and Bird 
Day Programs or two meetings may be held, one for each program. 

3. The State Superintendent issues annually an Arbor and Bird 
Day manual which is furnished free to teachers. In this manual are 
programs, appropriate selections, suggestions and other helps which 
together make it easy for the teacher to arrange for these programs. 

4. Make the program as practical as possible. Some trees should 
actually l^e planted. Little good will result from merely reading or 
talking about planting trees on the school grounds. 

5. Try to interest those present in a general plan for planting 
trees at the homes and along the country roads. 

6. Make the program such as will give both pupils and parents 
a better appreciation of the birds of their community. Give some 
consideration to the commercial value of birds from the standpoint 
of their saving crops by destroying insect pests. 

The Program: 

(See programs in Arbor and Bird Day manual prepared by the 
State Superintendent.) 

References: 

The following farmers' bulletins may be obtained from the IT. S. 
Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. : 
No. 185, Beautifying the Home Grounds. 
No. 154, The Home Fruit Garden. 



26 



PROGEAM NUMBEE NINE. 

PEACE DAY. 

May 18. 
Suggestions: 

1. The State Superintendent has issued a peace day manual con- 
taining a suggested program with proper selections for this occasion. 
Copies of this j)eace day manual can be had upon request. 

2. This program may count as one of the proposed community 
meetings. 

3. It will add interest to the program if one or more war veterans 
are asked to contribute personal experience or give an address upon 
the destruction by war. 

4. Pupils taking part in this program may draw u]3on their work 
in history in the regular classes. 

The Program: 

See Peace Pay Manual, prepared by the State Superintendent. 



21 

Section II. 

FARM PROGEAMS. 

Page 

Program Xumber Ten - 28 

Farmers' Evening. 

Program Xumber Eleven 29 

Alfalfa Evening. 

Program Xumber Twelve - 30 

Apple Evening. 

Program Xumber Thirteen 31 

Poultry Evening. 

Program Xumber Fourteen - 32 

Corn Evening. 

Program Xumber Fifteen 33 

Dairy Evening. 

Program Xumber Sixteen - 34 

Farm Problems. 

Program Xumber Seventeen 35 

Good Roads Evening. 

Program Xumber Eighteen - 37 

Rural Health Evening. 

Program Xumber Nineteen 38 

Country Life Evening. 



28 



PKOGKAM NUMBER TEN. 

FAEMEES' EVENING. 

Suggestions: 

1. Both citizens and pupils should take part in this program. 
3. Make the program as practical as possible. 

Tlie Fro gram: 

1. Song, led by school choir. 

2. Devotional exercises. 

3. Improved farm machinery as labor savers (by a citizen). 

4. Boys' and Girls' Corn Club (by a pupil). 

5. Improved live stock (by a citizen). 

6. How to increase the average yield of corn (by a citizen). 

7. Song. 

8. How to make farm life happier for farm women (by a farm- 

er's wife). 

9. How to spend the leisure hours (by a citizen). 

10. Rural telephone, rural mail delivery and the parcel post (by 

a pupil). 

11. The rural school and the farm (by a citizen). 

12. Song. 

References : 

West Virginia College of Agriculture, Morgantown, W. Va.: 

Bulletin No. 144, Agricultural Production in W. Va. 

Butterfield: Chapters in Rural Progress, University of Chicago 
Press, Chicago,. 111. 

Bailey: The State and the Farmer, The Macmillan Co., New York. 

Bailey : The Training of Farmers, The Century Co., New York. 

Butterfield: The Country Church and the Eural Problem, Uni- 
versity of Chicago Press, diicago, TIL 



29 



PROGRAM NUMBER ELEVEN. 

ALFALFA EVENIXG. 

Suggestions: 

1. Secure person who has raised alfalfa to act as leader. 

2. Supply different persons with literature bearing upon alfalfa 
cultivation and ask them to report. 

The Program: 

1. Song, led by school choir. 

2. Devotional exercises. 

3. History of alfalfa (by a pupil). 

4. What alfalfa does for the soil and how (by a citizen). 

5. Kind of land necessary. 

6. Application of lime. 

7. Song. 

H. Inoculation of the soil. 

i). Time to seed and how. 

10. Methods of cultivating alfalfa. 

IL Alfalfa as a hay. 

12. West A^irginia as an alfalfa state. 

13. Song. 

Eeferences: 

Bulletin Xo. i, W. Va. College of Agriculture, Morgantown, W. Va. 
Cotton Belt, by Alfored, International Harvester Co., Chicago, 111. 



30 

PEOCxRAM NUMBER TWELVE. 

APPLE EVENING. 

Suggestions : 

1. This program should be given in "apple time." Have some of 
the best apple products of the community for distribution. 

2. In apple growing communities it would be well to have an ap- 
ple exhibit. 

3. Emphasize the fact that West Virginia has great possibilities 
for apple growing. 

The Program: 

1. Song, led by school choir. 

2. Devotional exercises. 

3. West Virginia an apple state, on account of soil and nearness 

to eastern markets. 

4. Best varieties for this state. 

5. Transplanting of trees. 

6. Pruning the young trees. 

7. Song. 

8. Pruning an old orchard. 

9. Diseases and their remedies. 

10. Picking apples. 

11. Packing apples. 

12. Marketing apples. 

13. Song. 

References : 

W. Va. College of Agriculture, Morgantown, W. Va. : 

Bulletin No. 136, The x\pple Orchard from Planting to Bear- 
ing age. 

Bulletin 'No. 139, Packing Apples and Peaches. 

Bulletin No. 141, The Eejuvenation of Old Orchards. 
U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington D. C. ; ' 

Circular ISTo. T, Orchard Spraying. 

Farmers' Bulletin No. 291, Evaporation of Apples. 
Moore's Practical Orcharding on Eough Lands, $1.50, S, W. 
Moore, Gallipoli? Perry, W. Va. 



31 

PROGRAM NUMBER THIRTEEN. 

POULTRY EVENING. 

Suggestions: 

1. Oriranize a poultry club among your boys and girls. 

2. Find out who among the citizens are particularly interested in 
poultry raising and interest them in this program, 

3. It may be possible to arrange for a "poultry show." 

The Program : 

1. Song, led by school choir. 

2. Devotional exercises. 

3. West Virginia as a poultry state. 

4. Are we keeping enough fowls? 

5. The kind of fowls to keep. 

6. Co-operative marketing of eggs. 

7. Song. 

S. Poultry Ijuildings. 

9. Poultry feeding. 

10. Eaising chickens artificially. 

11. Feeding young chicks. 

1'3. Poultry diseases and remedies. 
13. Song. 

References: 

Bulletins of the College of Agriculture, Morgantown, W. Va. : 

Xo. 88, Poultry Experiments. 

No. 135, W. Va. as a Poultry State. 

No. 9, Some Factors affecting the Hatchability of Hen Eggs. 
Bulletins of IT. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. : 

Farmers' Bulletin No. 287, Poultry Management. 

Farmers' Bulletin No. 51, Standard Varieties of Chickens. 

Farmers' Bulletin No. 528, Hints to Poultry Raisers. 

Circular No. 208. (Animal Industry Bureau), The Organiza- 
tion of Girls' Poultry Clubs. 

Bulletin No. 140 (Animal Industry Bureau), Fattening Poul- 
try. 



32 

PROGBAM NUMBEE FOUETEEIst. 

COEIsT EVENING. 

Suggestions : 

1. If there is not already a Boys' Corn Club in the community, 
make this the occasion for organizing one and then notify your county 
superintendent of its organization. 

2. Seek out tlie best corn grower in the neighborhood and have 
him tell how he grows the best corn. 

3. Write W. H. Kendrick, Morgantown, W. Va., for instructions- 
and literature relative to the Boys' Corn Club work. 

The Frogrom: 

1. Song, led by school choir. 

2. Devotional exercises. 

3. West Virginia as a corn state. 

4. Soil required for growth of corn. 

5. Varieties adapted to the state. 

6. Good seed and how it is obtained. 

7. Song. 

8. Cultivation. 

9. Harvesting. 

10. Corn as a food for arimals. 

11. Corn for the silo. 

12. How to improve varieties of corn. 

13. Song. 

References : 

Bulletins of U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. r 
Farmers' Bulletin No. 253, The Germination of Seed Corn. 
Farmers' Bulletin No. 414, Corn Cultivation. 
Farmers' Bulletin No. 313, Harvesting and Storing Corn. 
Farmers' Bulletin No. 415, Seed Com. 

Farmers' Bulletin No. 298, Food Value of Corn and Corru 
Products. 




THE CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL. 

School wagons are sometimes used to bring parents and children together for the 

Social Center Programs. 




A FRIDAY AFTERNOON 
Parents may thus learn what the school is doing 



83 

PROGRAM NUMBER FIFTEEN. 

DAIRY EVENING. 

Suggestions : 

1. Try to interest all who have succeeded in dairying and 
have them give their experiences in the dairy business. 

2. It is not essential that a farm be called a dairy farm before 
there is a dairying business. The man Avho has two or three cows is a 
dairyman, but on a small scale. 

The Program: 

1. Song, led by the school choir. 

2. Devotional exercises. 

3. Good points about a dairy cow. 

4. Care of the cow. 

5. Feeding the cow. 

6. Pure bred vs. scrub cows. 

7. Song. 

8. Some common diseases of the cow. 

9. Why raise more cows in West Virginia? 

10. Best breeds of dairy cows. 

11. Buttermaking on the farm. 

13. The advantages of a cream separator. 
13. Song. 

References: 

Bulletins of College of Agriculture, Morgantown, W. Va. 

No. 134, Experiments in the Production of Sanitary MHlk. 
Bulletins of U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C : 
Circular No. 205 (Animal Industry Bureau), Milk and Cheese 

Contests. 
Farmers' Bulletin No. 106, Breeds of Dairy Cattle. 
Farmers' Bulletin No. 55, The Dairy Herd; its formation and 

management. 
Bulletin No. 34 (Animal Industry Bureau), American breeds 

of cattle with remarks on pedigrees. 
Farmers' Bulletin No. 241, Butter-making on the farm. 
Farmers' Bulletin No. 413, The care of milk and its use in 

the home. 



34 



PEOGRAM NUMBER SIXTEEN. 

FAEM PEOBLEMS. 

Suggestions : 

It may be well to give one meeting over to the discussion of general 
farm problems. The following topics are given, from which a selec- 
tion may be made to suit the particular needs of the community, 

SOME FARM PROBLEMS. 



1. 


Farm labor. 


2. 


Soil depletion. 


3. 


>v'oxious weeds. 


4. 


Insect pests. 


5. 


Low prices. 


6. 


Tenancy. 


7. 


Better farming. 


8. 


Farming as a business. 


9. 


Co-operation among farmers. 


10. 


Marketing of crops. 


11. 


Truck farming. 


References : 



Butterfield — Chapters in Eural Progress, University of Chicago 
Press, Chicago. 

Plunkett — Eural Fife Problems in the United States, Macmillan 
Company, ]Srew York. 

Carney — Country Life and the Country School. Eow, Peterson & 
Co., Chicago. 



35 



PROGRAM NUMBER SEVENTEEN. 

GOOD ROADS EVENING. 
"Lift West Virginia Out of the Mi)d." 

Sugge,'<Hons: 

1. Try to make the program as practical as possible. 

2. Emphasize the losses to the community that poor roads make 
necessary. 

3. Make special effort to get a large attendance at this meeting. 
4:. Get some expression, as by vote, of what ought to be done now, 

and how to proceed. 

The Program : 

1. Song, led by school choir. 

2. Devotional exercises. 

3. A map showing the public roads of the neighborhood (this 

may be drawn on the blackboard by one of the pupils be- 
fore the meeting begins). 

4. Inconvenience of the roads as they are (by a citizen) . 

5. Are our roads properly located? (by a citizen). 

. G. How much does this community lose yearly by not having 
better roads? (by a pupil). 

7. Song. 

8. What would it cost to make our roads what they should be? 

Would it pay? (by a citizen). 

9. The best means of improving our roads (by a citizen) . 

10. When should we begin? (by a citizen). 

11. Soncr. 



36 

References : 

The following fanners' bulletins may be obtained by writing to 
the United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C*. 

No. 95. Good Eoads for Farmers. 

No. 505. Benefits of Supervised Eoads. 

No. 311. Sand, Clay and Burnt Clay Eoads. 

No. 136. Earth Eoads. 

No. 331. The Split-Log Drag. 

No. 31. Mileage and cost of public roads in the United States. 

No. 39. Highway Bridges and Culverts. 

No. 95. Special Eoad Problems of the U. S. 

No. 338. Macadam Eoads. 

Also write A. D. Williams, State Eoad Commissioner, Morgantown, 
W. Va., for information about West Virginia Eoads. 



37 

PROGRAM NUMBER EIGHTEEN. 

RUKAL HEALTH EVENING. 

Suggestiotis : 

1. This program should be principally instructive. 

2. If possible have a physician address the meeting. 

3. Have the pupils draw upon what they have learned in their 
classes in health and sanitation. 

The Program : 

1. ^ong, led by school choir. 

2. Devotional exercises. 

3. The house fly as a spreader of disease (by a pupil). 

4. Ventilation of a bed room (by a pupil). 

5. Why we have colds (by a pupil or citizen). 

6. Song, 

7. The greatest source of disease in this community (an address 

by a physician). 

8. Song. 

References : 

Bulletins of the United States Department of Agriculture, Wash- 
ington, D. C. : 

No. 463. The Sanitary Privy. 

No. 345. Some Common Disinfectants. 

No. 393. Habitiforming Agents. 

No. 459. House Flies. 

No. 115. How Insects Affect Health. 

No. 377. Harmfulness of Headache Mixtures. 
College of Agriculture, Morgantown, W. Va. : 

Bulletin No. 134 — Experiments in Producing Sanitary Milk. 
Also the following : 

Clark: The Care of the Home — ^Wliitcomb and Barrows, Boston. 
Ogden : Eural Hygiene — The Macmillan Company, New York. 
Hartman & Bibb : The Human Body and Its Enemies — eWorld Book 
Company, Yonkers-on-Hudson, N. Y. 

Talbot : House Sanitation — ^Whitcomb & Barrows, Boston. 
Gulick: Good Health— Ginn & Co., Boston. 
Jewett : The Body at Work— Ginn & Co., Boston. 
See also text on Health and Sanitation. 
Illustrative pictures, photographs and post cards. 



38 



PEOGEAM NUMBEE NINETEEN. 

COUNTRY LIFE EVENING. 

Suggestions : 

This program should aim to do three things : 1. To show the ad- 
vantages of living in the country ; 2. To make plain the fallacies con- 
nected with moving by wholesale to the city; 3. To point the way to 
making life in the country profitable and at the same time enjoyable. 

Tlie Program: 

1. Song — Swinging 'Neath the Old Apple Tree. 

2. Devotional exercises. 

3. The farmer his own "boss." 

4. The country the best place for children to grow strong, healthy 

and clean. 

5. The beauties of the country. 

6. Song — There's a Good Time Coming. 

7. Pitfalls of city life. 

8. High cost of living in the city. 

9. How to make living in the country enjoyable. 

10. Improvement of the country home. 

11. Installing labor-saving machinery in the country home. 

12. Good roads, good schools and good churches as agencies to 

make better country life. . 

13. Song. 

References : 

Bulletins of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, 
D. C. : 

No. 185. — Beautifying the Home Grounds. 

No. 270. — Modern Conveniences for the Farm Home. 

No. 494. — Lawn Soil and Lawns. 

No. 195. — Annual Flowering Plants. 

No. 463. — The Sanitary Privy. 
Warner : Being a Boy — Houghton Mifflin Co., New York. 
Barbe : Going to College — Hinds, Noble & Eldredge, New York. 
Abbott: A Boy on a Farm — American Book Co., Cincinnati. 
See also general references. 



39 



Section III. 
MISCELLANEOUS PEOGKAMS. 



Program Number Twenty 

Ye Old Time School Days. 



Page 
. 40 



Pni.irram Xiimber Twenty-ono ^'-^ 

Spelling Bee. 

Program Number Twenty-two - "^'^ 

Local History Evening. 

Program Number Twenty-three ^^ 

Harvest Home Day. 

Program Number Twenty-four - ^^ 

Story Life of Great Men. 

Program Number Twenty-five 

Travel Evening. 

4-7 
Program Number Twenty-six - 

Music Evening. 

Program Number Twenty-seven •' ^^ 

Indian Evening. 

Program Number Twenty-eight 

Dramatic Evening. 

Program Number Twenty-nine 

West Yiririnia's Xatural Eesources. 



40 



PEOGRAM NUMBEE TWENTY. 

YE OLD TIME SCHOOL DAYS. 

Suggestions : 

1. Put on this program as many of the older patrons as can be 
interested in taking parts. This program is primarily an old folks' 
program. If the children take parts their parts should be of the na- 
ture of papers dealing with early life in this state, written upon such 
information as they can get from the text book in state history and 
from local histories or records. 

2. The teacher should take great pains to see personally as many 
of the older patrons of the comKiunity as possible and find out before- 
hand what parts they would prefer to take. 

8. Advertise the program well. If possible, phone those who are 
to take parts on the program a day or two before the meeting, thus 
following up personal or written invitations. 

4. Extend to the patrons present every possible courtesy. 

5. Be sure to arrange for some well known songs. Organize the 
school into a chorus and have them practice the songs a week or so be- 
fore the meeting. 



41 



The Program : 

1. Song, led by school choir. 

2. Devotional exercises. 

3. Tlie old school house. 

4. Before the time of coal and gas. 

5. "Birch Tea." 

6. My teacher. 

7. Song : The School House on the Hill. 

8. The days of jeans, linsey and boots. 

9. Plays and games. 

10. Our books. 

11. Wittin's 'Tn School Days," recited by a pupil. 

12. Song. 

References : 

Lewis' History cf ^^'eot Virginia. 

History of the County. 

Old records, reports and letters. 

State Superintendent's Biennial Eeports. 

Hart: How Our Grandfathers Lived — The Macmillan Co., New 
York. 

Calhoun: When Great Folks Were Little Folks— The Macmillan 
Co., New York. 

Stories of Colonial Children — Educational Publishing Co., Co- 
lumbus, Ohio. 

Eggleston : Hoosier School Boy — Chas. Scribner's Sons, New 
York. 

Griffin: School Days of the Fifties— A. Flanagan & Co., Chicago. 

Bass : Stories of Pioneer Life— D. C. Heath & Co., New York. 

Earle: Home Life in Colonial Days — Grossett & Dunlap, New 
York. 

Hlustrative pictures, photographs, post cards, etc. 



42 



PROGEAM NUMBER TAVENTY-ONE. 

SPELLING BEE. 

Suggestions : 

1. Only one program for a spelling bee is suggested here. This 
does not mean that other spelling bees may not be arranged for. In 
fact it would be well to have as many as a half dozen during the term. 

2. It is contended by many that spelling is less thorough since we 
have almost abandoned the old time spelling bee. We believe that this 
contention is pretty well founded. Teachers are urged therefore to 
make of the spelling bee all that is possible. The State Superintend- 
ent would appreciate reports from any communities where renewed 
interest in spelling is especially noticeable on account of the spelling 
bees. 

3. It is desirable that the parents take part in the spelling con- 
tests. Doubtless there will be many cases where parents will surpass 
the pupils in spelling. If so this fact will stimulate the pupils to 
more thorough work in spelling. 

4. Those in authority should see that order is preserved during the 
contest. 

5. The old fashioned way of "choosing" the spellers is recom- 
mended. 

6. The one who pronounces the words should pronounce very dis- 
tinctly and make sure that fairness is secured. 

The Program : 

To be arranged by the committee. 



43 

PKOGRAM NUilBER TWENTY-TWO. 

LOCAL HISTOEY EVEXIXG. 

yvggesiious: 

1. Both parents and pupils should have places on this program. 
The work by the children may take the form of a paper and may be 
counted as composition work in their regular classes. 

2. See that no specially important events of local history are 
omitted from the program. 

3. See to it that the program does not dwell too much on the his- 
tory of a single family unless its importance justifies such prominence. 

4. Any specially good papers by the pupils should be sent to the 
county papers for publication. 

5. Be careful not to let this program stir up any bitterness in the 
community, such as dispute over some event connected with the 
civil war. 

The Fro grain : 

1. Song, led by school choir. 

2. Devotional exercises. 

3. The first settler and his times. 

4. The oldest church in the community. 

5. Our first school house. 

6. How we have grown educationally. 

7. Song : The Old Oaken Bucket. 

8. Farming today and farming forty years ago. 

9. Introduction of improved farming machinery. 

10. Introduction of improved live stock into the community. 
IL Successful men who were reared in this community. 
12. Song. 

References : 

Lewis' History of West A'irginia. 

County History. 

Old records, reports and letters. 

State Superintendent's Biennial Reports. 



44 



PEOGRAM NUMBER TWENTY-THREE. 

HAEVEST HOME DAY. 

Suggestiofis : 

1. If it seems aclvisal^le, make this an all-day picnic or basket 
meeting. 

2. It would be a good plan to have an exhibit of farm and garden 
products. 

3. If not an all day picnic, provide some refreshments. 

4. This program should be given Thanksgiving week. 

5. The music should consist of patriotic songs, and selections by 
the band or orchestra. 

The Program: 

1. Song, led by school choir. 

2. Devotional exercises. 

3. Eeading the President's Thanksgiving Proclamation. 

4. Eecitation — "Heap High the Golden Grain." 

5. Paper — Origin of Thanksgiving Day. 

6. Song, or selection by the band. 

7. Early life of the jS^ew England colonists. 

8. "When the Frost Is On the Pnnapkin''— Eiley. 

9. What I am thankful for. 

10. Song, or selection by the band. 

References: 

Song: Harvest Home, C. C. Birchard & Co., Boston. 

See West Virginia Song Book for other appropriate selections. 



45 



PROGRAM NUMBER TWENTY-FOUE. 

STORY LIFE OF GREAT MEN. 

Suggestions: 

I. Tliis program should include both citizens and pupils. 

?. Make the program mainly of stories about great men — not 
mere biographies. 

3. See that the pupils who take part know something worth while 
to tell about the characters selected. 

Th e Program : 

1. Song, led by school choir. 

2. Devotional exercises. 

3. Story of George Washington and his '"little hatchet." 

4. The funny side of Lincoln. 

5. Personal recollections of a great man (by a citizen). 

6. General Lee, the citizen. 

7. Song. 

8. A story about my favorite hero in history (by a pupil). 

9. Woodrow Wilson, the scholar-statesman. 
10. Longfellow, the children's friend. 

II. Song. 

References: 

Perry : Four American Inventors — American Book Co., Cin- 
cinnati. 

Kingsley : Four American Explorers — American Book Co., Cin- 
cinnati. 

Hawthorne : Biographical stories — -Houghton Mifflin Co., New 
York. 

Williams : Some Successful Americans — Ginn & Co., Boston. 

Whitcomb : Heroes of History — Chas. E. Merrill Co., New York. 



46 

PBOGEAM NUMBER TWEISTTY-FIVE. 

TEAVEL EVENING. 

Suggestions : 

I. The aim here should be to utilize the best travel experiences 
of the community. Perhaps one or more of the children have made a 
visit to a noted city or even abroad. There may be one or more for- 
eign children who can make a valuable contribution. By the use of 
maps the program may be made a valuable geography lesson. 

3. If possible to do so, have some one to give a lantern slide lec- 
ture of his own travels or on some place of historic or civic importance. 
3. Make a selection of post cards of interesting places. 

Th e Program : 

1. Song, led by school choir. 

2. Devotional exercises. 

3. Where I spent my vacation (by a pupil). 

4. My first visit to a great city (by a pupil or citizen). 

5. Where I would go if I should follow the stream that runs 

nearest the school house. 

6. An ocean voyage (by a citizen or pupil). 

7. Song. 

8. How to "travel" by reading books on travel. 

9. Nearby places of interest to the traveler. 

10. Five most interesting places in the United States (by a pupil). 

II. Song. 

References : 

Carpenter: Geographical Readers (series) — American Book Co., 
Cincinnati. 

Defoe : Robinson Crusoe — American Book Co., Cincinnati. 
Ballon : Footprints of Travel— Ginn & Co., Boston. 
Swift : Gulliver's Travels— D. C. Heath & Co., New York 



47 



PROGRAM NUMBER TWENTY-SIX. 

MUSIC E\'EX1XG. 

Suggestions: 

1. Do not say it cannot be done in your community. It all de- 
pends on the energy and resourcefulness of the teacher and the com- 
munity. 

2. This program anticipates preparation. Organize a singing 
school as early as possible after the opening of the session. If the 
teacher understands music and can sing she may assume the role of 
''singing jnaster." If the teacher cannot assume such leadership she 
should see if there is not some one in the community who can direct 
the singing. The program for this evening should be made up largely 
from the best singers, but some of the numbers should be sung by all. 

3. Organize a school glee club. Give it a name. 

4. Secure a piano or organ if possible, perhaps from a nearby 
neighbor, or from a church. 

5. It may be possible to arrange for a program made up of out- 
side talent. For example, the University Glee Club or a glee club of 
one of the norinal schools or of some college. It may be that the com- 
munity could afford a program such as the Ernest Gamble Concert 
Company. 

TJie Program : 

To be arranged by the local committee. 

References : 

Write to C. C. Birchard & Co., Boston, for catalog of music. 
Also write to Oliver Ditson Co., Boston, for Catalog. 
Write also to Prof. C. H. Congdon, 623 Wabash Ave., Chicago, 111. 
West A^irginia Song Book, State Department of Schools, Charles- 
ton, W. Va. 



48 

PEOGRAM NUMBER TWENTY-SEVEN. 

INDIAN EVENING. 

Suggestions : 

1. This program should be made up of citizens who have had 
personal knowledge of the Indians or of citizens and pupils who have 
read and heard much about Indian life in the early days. 

2. If the children have Indian masks at home they should be 
asked to wear them on this occasion. 

3. The children should be prepared for this program by their 
reading, whether of the Indian stories of the text book or of Indian 
story books. 

4. Make the program as realistic as possible. 

Th e Program : 

1. Song, led by school choir. 

2. Devotional exercises. 

3. Personal recollections of the Indians (by a citizen). 

4. Indian warfare in West Virginia (by a pupil or citizen) . 

5. Who are the Indians? 

6. Indian war dance. (If practicable the pupils should be en- 

couraged to act out an Indian war dance). 

7. Song. 

8. Dramatization of an Indian story by a group of pupils. 

9. Indian trails in West A^irginia (by a pupil). 

10. What has become of the Indians? 

11. Song. 

References : 

The Childhood of Hiawatha, a dramatization of Hiawatha, by Miss 
Bessie Whiteley, and published by C. C. Birchard & Co., Boston. 

Chase: Children of the Wigwam — Educational Publishing Co., 
Columbus, 0. 

Snedded: Docas, the Indian Boy — Houghton Mifflin Co., New- 
York. 

Roulet: Indian Folk Tales — American Book Co., Cincinnati. 

Cooper : The Deerslayer — American Book Co., Cincinnati. 

Read Miss Sutherland's Story of the dramatization of Hiawatha in 
her school, pp. 9-10 of this Handbook. 

Illustrative pictures, post cards, etc. 




GETTING CLOSE TO NATURE. 
Out-door Picnics^arealways^popular. 




WITH ONE ACCORD IN ONE PLACE. 



49 



PROGIUM XUMBER TWENTY-EIGHT. 

DEAMATIC EVENING. 

Suggestions: 

1. Avoid the stiff, formal recitations of poems or prose selections^ 
such as is common on last day exercises. 

2. Avoid objectionable, cheap, wishy-washy selections. There is 
too much good material to justify the loss of time required by these. 

3. The teacher should have the school dramatize several stories 
as regular school work. Some of tlie Ijest of these stories should be 
reproduced on this program. That will be specially interesting to 
parents. 

4. The committee should search the community for any persons 
outside the school who have had special training in dramatization or 
elocution and use these persons both for helping to train the pupils 
and for taking parts on the program. 

Tlie Program : 

To be arranged by the committee. 

Write for catalog from Eldridge Entertainment Co., Franklin, 0., 
and select an appropriate play for this occasion. 

Write also for Baker's Catalog of Plays, Walter H. Baker, 5 Ham- 
ilton Place. Boston. 



50 

PEOGKAM NUMBEE TWENTY-NINE. 

WEST VIRGmiA'S NATURAL RESOURCES. 
Suggestions : 

1. This program should be informational in its character. 

2. See that those who take part have the facts. The teacher can 
do a great deal by referring pupils and others who take parts on the 
program to sources of information. 

3. See if there are not some citizens who are already interested 
in this matter. 

The Program : 

1. Song, led by school choir. 

3. Devotional exercises. 

3. West Virginia coal (by a pupil). 

4. Conservation of West Virginia oil and gas (by a citizen). 

5. West Virginia's greatest natural resource — the land (by a 

citizen). 

6. Song. Hymn of the West Virginians. 

7. Water power and state revenues (by a citizen). 

8. The boys and girls as state resources (by a citizen), 

9. Reforesting West Virginia hill lands (by a citizen). 

10. Waste of West Virginia's natural resources (by a citizen). 

11. Song. 

References : 

Green: Coal and Coal Mines — Houghton Mifflin Co., New York. 

Address Hon. H. E. Williams, Charleston, W. Va., for "The Land 
Overlooked" and other information. 

Address Dr. I. C. White, State Geologist, Morgantown, W. Va., for 
information. 

Address Hon. Stuart E. Reed, Charleston, W. Va., for Dr. Calla- 
han's History of West Virginia. Enclose 35 cents for postage. Reg- 
ular price $1.75. 

Illustrative pictures, photographs, post cards, etc. 



51 

QUESTIONS FOE DEBATE. 

1. Eesolved, That West Virginia should abolish capital punish- 
ment. 

2. Eesolved, That West A^irginia should have a more effective 
compulsory school attendance law. 

3. Eesolved, That West Virginia should allow women to vote. 

4. Eesolved, That there should be an educational qualification 
for voting. 

5. Eesolved, That West Virginia should lay a state levy of one 
mill for the support of the State University. 

6. Eesolved, That the United States should increase her navy, 

7. Eesolved, That football should be abolished from West 
Virginia. 

8. Eesolved, That the Monroe Doctrine is out of date and should 
be abandoned.. 

9. Eesolved, That there should be a small tax on oil and gas for 
the support of schools and roads. 

10. Eesolved, That high school studies, excepting English, should 
be made elective. 

11. Eesolved, That the United States should permanently retain 
control over the Philippine Islands. 

12. Eesolved, That the President of the United States should be 
elected for a term of six years and be ineligible for re-election. 

13. Eesolved, That county superintendents of schools should be 
appointed instead of elected by the people. 

14. Eesolved, That the State Superintendent of Schools should be 
appointed by the Governor. 

15. Eesolved, That a system of compulsory old age insurance 
should be adopted in the United States. 

16. Eesolved, That West Virginia should adopt the county as the 
unit of school taxation and administration. 

17. Eesolved, That West Virginia should maintain a state con- 
stabulary. 

18. Eesolved, That the West Virginia House of Delegates should 
be reduced in number to one delegate from each county. 

19. Eesolved, That there should be a larger supplementary school 
fund to aid poor school districts. 

20. Eesolved, That the trustee system of administering local 
scliools should be abolished. 



u2 

21. Eesolved, That every district should maintain a superintend- 
ent of schools. 

22. Eesolved, That the state normal school should provide a short 
course of three years for rural teachers. 

23. Eesolved, That for the collection of school funds sheriffs 
should receive only one per cent. 

24. Eesolved, That West Virginia should provide for the pension- 
ing of all teachers over 65 years of age who have taught 35 years. 

25. Eesolved, That $50 per month should be the minimum salary 
of a first grade teacher. 

26. Eesolved, That consolidation of schools, where possible to do 
so, is a duty of the board of education. 

27. Eesolved, That the minimum age of teachers should be 20' in- 
stead of 17, as at present. 

28. Eesolved, That West Virginia should have a small millage tax 
for the improvement of public highways. 

29 Eesolved, That the number of state normal schools should be 
reduced to four. 

30. Eesolved, That the United States government should own and 
control all railroads. 

31. Eesolved, That it is more profitable to grow hogs than it is to 
grow cattle in this community. 

32. Eesolved, That it is better to cultivate a small farm intensively 
than it is to try to farm 200 acres. 

33. Eesolved, That poultry is the most profitable business for this 
community. 

34. Eesolved, That fruit culture is a profitable business in this 
community. 

35. Eesolved, That boys and girls have a better opportunity in the 
country than in the city. 

EEFEEEKCES TO LITEEATUEE ON THE SOCIAL CENTEE 
AND EIIRAL LIFE. 

Butterfield: Chapters in Eural Progress, $1.00 — University of 
Chicago Press, Chicago, 111. 

Plunkett: Eural Life Problems in the United States, $1.50 — Mac- 
millan Company, New York. 

Bailey: The Country Life Movement, $1.25 — Macmillan Com 
pany, New York. 



53 

iJailey : The Training of Farmers, $.1.00 — The Century Company, 
New York. 

Carney: Country Life aiul the Country School, $1.35 — Row, 
Peterson & Co., Chicago. 

Carver: Principles of Eural Economics, $1.30 — Ginn & Co., 
Boston. 

Foght: The American Eural School, $1.25 — Macmillan Co., New 
York. I : j 

Gillette: Constructive Rural Sociology, $1.60 — Sturgiss & Walton, 
New York. 

Ward : The Social Center, $1.50 — D. Appleton & Co., New York. 

Buell : One Woman's Work for Farm Women, 50 cents — ^Whitcomb 
& Barrows, Boston. 

Perry: How to Start Social Centers, 10c. — Russell Sage Founda- 
tion, New York. 

Coulter : Co-operation Among Farmers, 75c — ^Sturgiss & Walton, 
Boston. 

Kern : Among Country Schools, $1.35 — Ginn & Co., Boston. 

Wray: Jean Mitchell's School, $1.00— Public School Publishing 
Co., Bloomington, 111. 

Field: The Corn Lady, 60c — A. Flanagan & Co., Chicago. 

Johnson : What to Do At Recess, 25c — Ginn & Co., Boston. 

Dodd ; The Healthful Farmhouse, 60c — Whitcomb and Barrows, 
New York. 

Report of the Commission on Country Life — Government Printing 
Office, Washington, D. C, 10c. 

BuMetin No. 325, Home School League, University of Texas, 
Austin, Tex. 

Bulletin No. 18, Social and Civic Work in Country Communities, 
Department of Education, Madison, Wis. 

Bancroft: Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gym- 
nasium, The Macmillan Co., New York. 

Rural Life and Education, Cubberley, $1.50 — Houghton Mifflin 
Co., New York. 

Write C. C. Birchard & Co., Boston, for catalog of music. 

Write the Eldridge Entertainment Co., Franklin, 0., for catalog of 
entertainments. 

Write Prof. Peter W, Dykema, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 
Wis., for information on Community Singing. 



EUEAL LIFE HEADING. 

Grayson : Adventures in Contentment. 

Garland : Main Traveled Eoads. 

Bacheller: Eben Holden. 

Wescott: David Harum. 

White: Courts of Boyville. 

Jewett: The Country Doctor. 

Page: In Ole Virginia. 

Wiggin : Eebecca of Sunnyhrook Farm. 

Allen : The Kentucky Cardinal. 

Connor: The Sky Pilot. 

Eggleston : The Circuit Eider. 

Eggleston : The Hoosier Schoolmaster. 

Gibson : In the Morning Glow. 

London : The Call of the Wild. 

Sewell : Black Beauty. 

Irving: Eip Van Winkle. 

Franklin : Poor Eichard's Almanac. 

Goldsmith : The Vicar of Wakefield. 

Van Dyke : Spy Eock. 

Eiley: Poems Here at Home. 

Field : Poems of Childhood. 

Dunbar : Lyrics of Lowly Life. 

Stevenson : A Child's Garden of A''erses. 

McMurry : Songs of Treetop and Meadovr. 

Burroughs : Songs of Nature. 

Whittier : Selected Poems. 

Bryant : Selected Poems. 

Longfellow: Selected Poems. 

Holmes: Selected Poems. 

Lowell: Selected Poems. 

T^ordsworth: Selected Poems. 

Shelley : Selected Poems. 

Burns : Selected Poems. 

Gray: Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard. 



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